Two lentil and tempeh chili with an Ethiopian twist

I really enjoy Ethiopian food. The fact that you eat with your fingers grounds down the experience. The injera, a fermented spongy flatbread made with teff, a gluten-free grain, is used as a vessel to pick up all the amazing dishes. What stands out the most to me is this red lentil wot that I usually order. Made of berbere spices, the red lentils are simmered until done and it's amazing! Today, I took it a bit further: a full-blown chili with berbere and some good old cornbread...and you can use a fork.

Spicy berbere tempeh and lentil chili

Cornbread

The chili was initiated with sauteed yellow onions, garlic, tomato paste, and a blend of berbere spices. The spices comprised of toasted cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, whole cloves, cardamom pods, and soaked dried chilies del arbol then ground and mixed with turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, paprika, and fresh ginger. My gosh - the aroma, you can just imagine - was amazing. Into the chili pot in it's respective order: celery, carrots, ground tempeh (mimics ground meat), black beluga lentils, tomatoes, and red lentils. Vegetable stock was added periodically throughout the process as the lentils cooked and swelled.
The cornbread was made by using a modified blue-ribbon recipe. In lieu of the soy milk and canola oil, I used almond milk and coconut oil, both of which I find more nourishing.